password required, but none set

Question

I'm configuring a stack of new Cayalyst 2960-X Series switches, and I'm struggling with the following warning:

password required, but none set

I configured the switch to authenticate against our tacacs-server, and that is working just fine. Upon Googling the above warning, the only thing I have been able to find is that I need to set a password for our vty lines (which I have).

From what I understand from reading online, if I receive this warning, I shouldn't even be able to connect to the switch. I am finding that this is not the case though, for I can telnet into the switch, authenticate with my username, and enable the switch

To help clarify, this is what I am seeing below. Note that the correct enable password (enablePass in this case) is required. What am I doing wrong?

telnet 1.1.1.1
Trying 1.1.1.1 ... Open
username: user
password: pass
Switch1>en
Password required, but none set
Password: enablePass
Switch1#

Solution

Well, I solved my problem, but I'm not sure if it was the best approach quite yet. Anyways, I added the following line to the switch config:

aaa authentication enable default enable

Edit

aaa authentication login default group tacacs+ line
aaa authentication enable default enable
aaa authorization exec default group tacacs+ if-authenticated
aaa authorization commands 15 default group tacacs+ if-authenticated
tacacs server acs1
 address ipv4 2.2.2.2
 key 7 <mykey>
tacacs server acs2
 address ipv4 2.2.2.3
 key 7 <mykey>

Comments

[blacklight]

This is because the switch is attempting to use AAA authentication - but you haven't defined any authentication methods. By inputting the above command, you are telling the switch to use the enable password for AAA. Providing that you aren't actually using a AAA server, then your other option would have been to remove the 'aaa new-model' command, and specified 'login local' on the desired VTY lines instead.

[kubiej21]

@blacklight - Can you expand on the aaa authentication a bit please? I've added additional code to my answer to help clarify. With my above configuration, I thought that I had defined an aaa authentication method, so I am a little confused now. Thanks